Adjustable shock absorber for water skiing

ABSTRACT

A shock absorber for waterskiing  59  provides multiple adjustments to the adjacent cores  14 B,  14 S of the dihedral core  15  and the weave assembly  29  securing the multipurpose assembly  48  in the cavity thereof, and provides attachment means  40,45  for use between the boat and the mainline. In addition, the pneumatic core  14  provides emergency floatation properties.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/174,149 filed Dec., 31, 1999.

BACKGROUND—FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to tow line shock absorbers, specifically to an adjustable self contained travel legnth mechanism for a towed object including a water skier.

Background

[0003] Presently a person engaged in the sport of water skiing is subjest to excessive human fatigue, and normal human fatigue comprised of inadvertent and erroneous factors. Excessive fatigue is a result of the application and/or combination of technological advances found in the three components of the sport, (a) tow vessel “boat”, (b) water ski(s), (c) rigging “mainline”. Normal fatigue is a limiting factor for experiences skiersdue to the requirements of the sport, and inadvertent and erroneous factors increase normal human fatigue of a skier using contemporary equipment and configuration. Slalom style waterskiing utilizes a single ski that is fashioned to provide a decreased planing area, and proportionally increases human fatigue as compared to the use of a double ski configuration.

[0004] Heretofore, a skier is commonly tethered to the boat with a non-stretch of low-stretch mainline, inturn the skier is directly linked to the boat, whereby, achieving the desired tow characteristics of direct linkage of all tow force to the skier while under tow. The skier is normally fatigued and must wear gloves to counteract the effects of the applied force.

[0005] Originally, the three components of waterskiing were the products of limited technology:

[0006] (a) The boat had reduced performance with large wooden hull construction and handling limitations. This style of boat provided a smooth progression of power to the skier for launching and skiing.

[0007] (b) The water ski(s) were constructed of large wooden laminates. This style of ski offered a large surface area for ease of skiing and reduced handling performance.

[0008] (c) The mainline was constructed of woven cotton, and performance was lessened and eased because the cotton weave would tend to stretch under excessive loading.

[0009] Thereafter, technological advances have refined these components of water skiing to contemporary/common use:

[0010] (a) Boats offer increased performance with smaller and lighter fiberglass hull construction and improved handling. This boat provides a quick progression of power to the skier for launching and skiing.

[0011] (b) The water skis are constructed of materials such as fiberglass laminate and carbon fiber composite. This ski offers a smaller surface area for increased maneuverability and handling.

[0012] (c) The mainlines are constructed of either low-stretch or non stretch materials, and provide improved performance.

[0013] Although technological advances have improved these three components of waterskiing, yet there are disadvantages to each component:

[0014] (a) Boats embody a V-8 engine with fuel injection and electronic ignition, and allows for excessive force application and increased maneuverability may not allow the pilot to maintain a accurate tow.

[0015] b) Water skis are very quick and responsive, and may permit the skier to surpass the speed of the boat during advanced maneuvers, or the skier may loose control due to the responsiveness of the ski(s).

[0016] (c) Mainlines are constructed of non-stretch or low stretch materials. Direct linkage to the boat will fatigue the skier during normal activity, and if slack is introduced into the mainline by inadvertant or erroneous factors. Slack removal requires technique of the skier, and technique is required to maintain a taunt mainline during normal use. The skier must absorb the force of the sudden reapplication of force as delivered as a result of slack in the mainline.

[0017] Furthermore, fatigue is the result of inadvertant and erroneous factors combined with the application of the three contemporary components during normal sport activities, including; (d) ambient condition factors, (e) the “deep-water” launch process, (f) advanced maneuvering by the skier, (g) erroneous maneuvering by the skier or the boat driver. The ramifications of these activities are:

[0018] (d) Ambient conditions caused inadverant slack in the mainline.

[0019] (e) Deep-water launch of the skier from a partially submerged static position causes inadvertant fatigue.

[0020] (f) Advanced skiing maneuvering causes erroneous slack in the mainline.

[0021] (g) Erroneous maneuvering by the skier or the boat driver causes slack in the mainline. Inadvertant or erroneous slack in the mainline fatigues the skier. Mainline slack is a result of removal of the tow force in relation to the skier, and fatigue is encountered during the application of tow force, for a slacked mainline slows a skier in relation to the boat, and the instantaneous re-application of tow force “hit” must be compensated by the technique of the skier. The force of the hit is proportional to the speed of the boat and the decreased speed of the skier, and a hit of excessive magnitude can force the mainline handle from the grip of the skier. Loss of the mainline handle results in the skier losing all momentum, and the skier becomes a hazard to other boaters until the boat returns to the partially submerged skier. The boat upon returning to the partially submerged skier re-establishes the mainline to the skier and a deep-water launch is attempted. A deep-water launch pulls the skier from a partially submerged position to a planing platform within 4 seconds, and hazards continue to exist to other boat traffic during the attempt(s) to launch the skier

Objectives and Advantages

[0022] Accordingly, this present invention performs of dispensing exponentially cushioned rigging legnth upon demand from the static position to either or both acting force(s), and then subsequently recoils the rigging legnth to the static position after demand is removed; whereby, several objects and advantages are;

[0023] a) to provide a dihedral shock absorber which retains excessive tow force applied from the boat;

[0024] b) to provide a dihedral shock absorber which buffers the tow versus drag relationship;

[0025] c) to provide a dihedral shock absorber which eliminates direct mainline linkage;

[0026] d) to provide a dihedral shock absorber which can compensate for ambient conditions;

[0027] e) to provide a dihedral shock absorber which retains excess tow force;

[0028] f) to provide a dihedral shock absorber which removes excess mainline slack;

[0029] g) to provide a dihedral shock absorber which buffers the mainline.

[0030] Further objects and advantages are to provide a multi-adjustable shock absorber, permitting user adjustments to compensate for the weight an ability of the skier, and provide separate adjustments to effect the cushioning for the power of the boat and adjust the cushioning as felt by the skier.

Drawing Figures

[0031]FIG. 1 shows a side view of the dihedral shock absorber as positioned for use between the boat pylon and the mainline assembly.

[0032]FIG. 2 shows an end view along line 1-A of FIG. 1 using a preferred weave style, the view is of limited depth for illustration purposes.

[0033]FIG. 3 shows a cross section view as positioned in FIG. 1, and illustrates the details of the embodied multipurpose assembly providing opposing gathers.

[0034]FIG. 4 shows an end view similar to FIG. 2, whereby the main pull link of FIG. 6A has been removed to illustrate the gather retained by the weave therein.

[0035]FIG. 5 shows a cross section view as positioned in FIG. 3 illustrating the opposing gathers of the partially illustrated multipurpose assembly as detailed in FIG. 3 replaced by an alternate weave style also illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0036]FIG. 6A shows an end view as positioned in FIG. 2, and details the main pull link and gather as a partial illustration of the multipurpose assembly.

[0037]FIGS. 6B,6C details the opposing gathers and fastening assemblies as taken from the multipurpose assembly, yet not tethered

[0038]FIG. 7 shows a view along line 7 of FIG., illustrating a means of retaining, spacing and tensioning the weave assembly.

DESCRIPTION

[0039]FIG. 1 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of a type of adjustable dihedral shock absorber assembly 59 employed between the existing boat pylon and the mainline as presently used the shock absorber assembly 59 is affixed to the pylon by means of the embodied main pull loop assembly 40 and provides an opposing main pull link assembly 45 that secures the mainline. these opposing main pull fastening means are embodied in the basic dihedral shock absorber assembly 59. The weave assembly 29 is held in place by means of an outside diameter spacer 55 about the circumference of the dihedral shock absorber 59, inturn providing a tensioning adjustment 59A for the weave assembly as detailed in FIG. 7.

[0040]FIG. 2 illustrates an end view of the shock absorber assembly 59 viewed along line 1A of FIG. 1 comprised of a type of meshed weave assembly 29A fashioned to retain the main pull link assembly 45 as detailed in FIG. 6C.

[0041]FIG. 3 is a cross section view of the core assembly 15 as detailed in FIG. 5. The multipurpose assembly 48 is comprised of the main pull loop assembly 40 including a safety tether 47 fashioned by a continued legnth of the employed rigging material 30 and secured to the main pull link assembly 45 by means of the fastener 21. The main pull loop assembly 40 embodies a gather 35 as detailed in FIG. 6B.

[0042]FIG. 4 illustrates a one-piece gather 34 and the opposing gather 35. The opposing gathers retain the juxtaposed opposing ogive pull points 25 as produced by the type of weave assembly 29 about the core assembly 15.

[0043]FIG. 5 is a sectional view along line 4A illustrating the weave assembly 29B about the said gather 35 and the opposing one-piece gather, inturn producing juxtaposed opposing ogive pull points 25 as formed by the weave assembly about the common plane 18. The weave assembly 29B and the weave assembly 29A in FIG. 2 are comprised of rigging materials such as kevlar or nylon core rope with nylon cover or 2-ply webbing or the like. Rigging 20 is fashioned to loop 22 and secured by compression fastener 21 to fit about the embodied valve stem 10A. the pneumatic body 10 is comprised of EPDM rubber inner-tube style with embodied valve stem 10A. The core assembly 15 produces a common plane 18 between each pneumatic body 14 after being stacked. Each EPDM pneumatic body assembly 14 comprises a pneumatic body 10 with the embodied valve stem 10A inflated with gaseous means 12 and may contain a type of sealer 11 to retard leakage through the EPDM wall of the pneumatic body 10.

[0044]FIG. 6C shows a top view of the main pull link assembly 45 of a one- piece gather 34 positioned in the main pull link 42.

[0045]FIG. 6B illustrates the main pull loop assembly 40 with gather 35. this main pull loop assembly 40 is comprised of rigging material similar to 20, yet may be of smaller stock diameter, and a compression fastener os employed to terminate the assembly, or secure the assembly to the said safety tether 47 as illustrated in FIG. 3. The compression assembly 9 is comprised of metallic fastener 5 as positioned and secured by the appropriate compression too.

[0046]FIG. 6C shows a side view of a main pull link assembly 45 comprising of the one piece gather 34 held under the embodied retainer of the main pull link 42, or a secondary retainer 44 may be employed comprised of hard plastic or metallic alloys, whereby the main pull link assembly 45 provides closure means after application of the mainline as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0047]FIG. 7 illustrates the circumference spacer 55 as viewed along line 7 of FIG. 1. The spacer 55 retains the spacing of the said weave 29 about the core 14. The spacer 55 is comprised of rigging 50 similar to rigging 20, yet the employed variety may be of smaller stock diameter.

[0048] Additional adjustments may be made by altering the P.S.I. of the cores 14B or 14S as required by the used to obtain custom results.

Summary, Ramifications and Scope

[0049] Accordingly the reader will see that the multiadjustable dihedral shock absorber of this invention can be used to reduce human fatigue, and can be used to cushion the excess force by the user. In addition, the shock absorber may be adjusted in three ways, and permit the user to easily modify the responsiveness of the shock absorber. Furthermore, the dihedral shock absorber separates and effects each opposing force independently and has additional advantages in that:

[0050] it permits removal of excess tow force as applied by the boat, and reduced fatigue.

[0051] it permits additional cushioned rigging or removal of slack in the mainline, and reduces fatigue.

[0052] it permits a buffered direct linkage to the skier through the pneumatic bodies, and adds cushioned rigging of excess force as applied, and reduces fatigue.

[0053] it compensated for ambient conditions and permits cushioning of the mainline, and reduces fatigue.

[0054] it permits advanced maneuvering by adding or removing cushioned rigging to the mainline, and reduces fatigue.

[0055] it compensates for erroneous maneuvers by adding or removing cushioned rigging to the mainline, and reduces fatigue

[0056] it may be used as an emergency floatation devise due to its lightweight pneumatic design.

[0057] Although the descriptions above contain many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention by mearly providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention. For example, The dihedral shock absorber can employ other rigging materials, fasteners, weaving styles of the rigging materials and methods of affixing the weave to the embodied gathers; the means of attaching to the boat may be modified to fit the specific hardware on various boats, and the mainline may be affixed directly to the respective gather, inturn, eliminating the main pull link,

[0058] Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents reather than by the examples given. 

I claim:
 1. A adjustable shock absorber permitting variable extension and subsequent retraction of the embodied rigging between the applied forces; wherein the apparatus comprises; a) a core assembly comprised of the adjacent placement of partially inflated resilient pneumatic bodies about a common plane, positioned to permit access to the embodied valve stems simultaneously as found inside the cavity of the core, b) a multipurpose assembly means to provide tethered opposing gathers and external fastening means of application between the boat pylon and the mainline during use, c) a weave assembly from the first valve stem about the core to secure about the gather positioned past the common plane inside the cavity of the core, and initially terminated at the remaining valve stem inside the core, after initial termination the rigging is continued to fashioned about the circumference of the core along the common plane to provide spacing and inward adjustment of the weave assembly.
 2. A multiadjustable shock absorber permitting extension and subsequent retraction of embodied rigging; wherein the apparatus comprises; a) a dihedral pneumatic core comprised of adjacently placed pneumatic bodies, b) a multipurpose assembly means to tether the opposing gathers thereof and provide opposing external fastening means during use, c) a weave assembly fashioned to provide a means to be woven about the core assembly and into the cavity of the core assembly and retain the opposing gathers about the common plane, d) an adjustment means to apply and maintain tension to the outside circumference of the core along the common plane.
 3. A adjustable shock absorber comprising; a) a dihedral pneumatic core comprised of adjacently placed pneumatic bodies forming a common plane between the bodies. b) a multipurpose assembly comprised of rigging material fashioned to provide tethered opposing gathers and a means of providing opposing fastening means during use. c) a weave assembly about the dihedral core forms ogive pull points about the gather as found beyond the common plane of the inside of the core, terminated at each end to the embodied valve stems positioned in proximity. d) a spacer weave assembly about the circumference of the common plane provides a means of holding the weave and retaining tension retaining the weave in position and constricting the weave into the void between the pneumatic bodies along the common plane. 